Boot or shoe



A. LINDGREN BOOT OR SHOE Filed April 7, 1923 Oct. 20, 1925 Patented oct. zo, 1925.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER LINDGRN, F MANCHESTER, NEW,HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 HOVEY E. SLAYTON, 0F MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BOOT 0R SHOE.

Application filed April 7, 1923. Serial N0. 630,487.

ed anA Improvement in Boots or Shoes, of

which the following description, in connection withl the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention relates to an im-v provementV in the art of manufacturingv boots and shoes, and to a novel and economical method of construction, whereby simple, eiiicient and readily adjustable means are provided for varying the foot contacting part of the shank or arch.

In the manufacture of orthopedic footwear, it is of great importance to provide.

means to enable the shank portion, viz, the insole or insole member along the arch, to be moved into desired position for the wearer. This is particularly advantageous in corrective footwear wherein the arch sustaining portion of the shoe is manufactured in lquantities and yet should be Vseparately fitted for each wearer, and each shoe should be adjusted for the foot of the wearer. Many prior efforts have been made to provide footwear with orthopedic appliances, particularly along the shank or arch portion, but these prior methods and apparatus have been unsatisfactory, difficult and expensive to install, extremely inaccessible to make desired fittings or adjustments, and have proven to be too difficult and cumbersome for general use. Such prior devices where the shank adjusting members could only be reachedfrom the inside of the shoe, for example, necessitated the constant removal of the shoe from the foot of the wearer, in fitting same, manipulation of the shank or arch adjusting portions.by 'guess ywork and-then again fitting the shoe to the wearer and testing and trying same.

My present invention obviates all this difficulty and enables orthopedic footwear to be manufactured by standard shoe making machines, substantially along present established methods, simply constructed and economically manufactured, and yet with a simple, efficient and readily accessible ad justing means, which can raise, lower or otherwise fit the arch supporting part of the shoe to any desired Poslton when fitting the shoe to the wearer and without the wearer removing the shoe. Thus my invention` permits a pair of shoes of appropriate size to be fitted to a wearer, and without removal, without guess work, andwhile the wearer is applying a constant pressure therein or standing, the shank or arch adjusting devices can be manipulated in each foot to a perfect supporting position. Furthermore, my present invention enables these adjusting devices to be constantly varied and raised or lowered, thus affording a progressive course of corrective treatment for the wearer, without changing footwear, and'by simple means capable of operation by' the wearer himself.

In carrying out my invention I may apply the same to any of the resent standard shoes made. In the manu acture of a welt or McKay shoe embodying my invention, I prefer tosplit the rear portion of the insole from the heel forwardly, so that the shoe .may be assembled on a last, lasted, and the upper and soles permanently united, leaving the upper or foot contacting portion of the insole free.4 -It will be appreciated that I may utilize a plurality of layers for this insole portion, instead of splitting the insole to provide these layers as above noted. In any event, I provide a free insole portion from the heel forwardly to approximately the forepart or ball of the shoe, which layer I propose to adjust with regard to height. relatively with the shoe, and with the shank or arch'portion of the wearer. Thus I may even apply to a turn shoe a separate insole member secured at the forepart and with the adjusting means of my kpresent invention applied thereto.

Preferably I utilize a metallic member, secured, riveted or held at the forward part adjacent the ball of the shoe, and provide means operable longitudinally and concealed in the.- heel, to move this metallic member to raise or lower the position of the free shank portion of the insole.

Such means consists preferably in a threaded member concealed in a suitable recess in the heel, and operable either from the heel breast or from the rear of the heel, and rotatable to position and adjust the fieXible member and to automatically lock the same in adjusted position.

Further details of the invention, important advantages and novel combinatlons `will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my present invention as applied to a typical McKay shoe,

Fig. 1 is a' side view, partly in cross-section, of my novel shoe utilizing my process and illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view with the heel in cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view substantially a duplicate of Fig. 1, excepting that the accessible adjusting means is open to the rear of the heel;

Fig. 4 -is a cross-sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and

Fi 5 is a perspective `of the metallic shan member.

In the drawings kI have illustrated a typical McKay shoe having an outsole 1, upper materials 2, heel 3 and insole 4. This insole is preferably split from the heel portion forwardly, forming a bottom layer 5 and an upper layer 6. As above noted the insole may, if desired, consist in a plurality of layers, the important feature being to so construct the shoe that the uppermost or foot contacting layer 6 is free to be moved vertically from the insole member 5 to which latter the upper and outsole are attached by stitching 7 or equivalent upper and sole attaching means. improved shoe by my present process, as thus far described, I assemble the insole and upper materials in the usual manner, last the same, apply the outsole, secure the lasted 4upper and outsole together, in this case by the through and through stitching, without special or unusual processes. I can iit the upper layer 6 in an appropriate recess in the 'last during the lasting process, can iit temporarily a clinching plate between the two members 6 and 5, if desired in McKay lasting, or keep the two layers separate by any suitable means. As thus far made, my shoe follows present standard methods. Thereupon I cut a slight recess 10 in the outsole 1 adjacent the heel portion. This is intended to permit the downwardly extending lug ortion 12 of my adjustable metallic mein er 15 to be extended. The shank member is fitted between the layers 6 and 5, and rigidly'secured at the forward end, approximately at 14 by a suitable rivet or the like. This rivet 14 may extend through both layers of the insole, if desired, or also through the outsoleif desired, or as shown, it is fittedthrough the bottom layer 5 of the insole, thus concealing the same. The longitudinal notch or recess 16 is also cut in the lower insole member 5 to permit the insertion of the shank member 15, similar to and adjacent the recess 10 in the outsole. These recesses 10 and 16 are-preferably of suitable width for the size of the metallic member l5.

In making my I can form this member 15 of any desired width, it bein an important feature of my present invention that the adjustable metallic member 15 can extend entirely across thewidth of the shoe if desired, can be of any suitable contour, shape or other supporting feature, the layer 6 naturally following the shape and contour of the metallic supporting member 15. Furthermore such'supporting members canbe easily attached to and removed from a shoe after it has been completed, if desired, although I prefer to carry out my present process of fitting the shank member 15 lto the insole before the heel is attached, and thus building the same in the shoe. The large capability of adjustment afforded by my invention obviates the necessity of changing the shank members after the shoe is once constructed.

Longitudinal movement of this shank member 15 acts to. vary the height of the insole portion 6 at the shank and to raise and lower same as desired to fit the contour 0f the arch of the foot of the wearer, and of each shoe. In order to provide for this adjustment or'movement longitudinally, I secure to the outsole 1 a lug 2O adapted to receive the shank portion of a rotatable threaded shaft 21,y the lug 2O holding the saine between the head 22 and a collar 23 secured to said shank. The shank 21 is approximately threaded to fit the correspondingly threaded recess in the depending lug 12 of the shank member 15. This rotation of the shank 21 affords means to raise or lower the middle part of the shank 15 'and consequently of the insole 6 between the rivet 14 and the lug 12, the recesses 10 and 16 permitting the sliding action of the member 15 to produce this result. I prefer to provide the head 22 of the shaft with a slot to receive a screwdriver, and the lug 20 may be held to the outsole 1 by a pair of rivets 123 as shown in Fig. 4. f

The form illustrated in Fig. 1 -shows the slotted end of the shaft 21 positioned forwardly or adjacent the heel breast of the heel 3, and therefore I provide the heel 3 to be attached to this form with a, corresponding recess 25 to cover, protect and conceal the lugs 20, 12 and shaft 21, as well as to afford room for the lug 12 to effect this sliding'action during manipulation of the shaft 21. In the form shown in Fig. 3, the slotted end of the shaft is open rearwardly or at the back of the heel, and therefore I providethis heel 30 witli'a longitudinal recess 31 appropriately positioned therefor. In the latter instance the recess is so slight as to be scarcely noticeable and further if desired the head 22 can be covered by wax or the like and theentire heel burnished, finished, etc., thus keeping out dirt, water andthe like, as well as concealing the adjusting means, while permitting its ready llO . broadly herein. Also myV accessibility. In the form shown in Fig. 1 the slotted head is directly concealed 'at the juncture of the shank of the outsole and heel breast, and the entire shoe has the complete appearance of standard types of footwear, capable of manufacture in any desired st le, size or leather. My present invention t us enables an attractive, economical and eilicient orthopedic shoe to be provided, capable of continual and -progressive adjustments for curative action on the arch of the foot of the wearer, and furthermore, has the inside appearance of any high grade type of shoe, without openings, recesses or pther ob'- jectionable features, while the adjusting devices operate efciently and are concealed, as well as protected by the heel.- Furthermore the shank supporting metallic member enables the insole and consequently the arch of the foot to be positively supported for as great an extent, widthwise and lengthwise, as may be desired, and this metallic shank member may be of any suitable metal, spring steel, composition, brass or of non-corrosive material if desired, so that it will not deteriorate, rust or lose its etliciency and usefulness. The adjustments can be instantly and readily effected by means of an ordinary screwdriver and with the shoe constantly on the wearer, thus securing an actual fitting of the shank supporting portion to the foot while both footv and shoe are under tension-a broadl new feature. As I am advised that this eature is a distinct novelty in this art I am claiming the same process of making an'improved shoe and the novel adjusting apparatus, are claimed herein broadly, as well, also, as the prepared insole fitted with my adjustin apparatus. It will be appreciated that varioustimes my improved shoe, preferably fitting the same as above explained. I can, however, carry out my inventionby first preparin an` insole for a shoe, either welt or Mcay construction, forming the loose layer part either by splitting or by applying an extra layer, fitting the shank member thereto by the rivet 14, forming for this purpose the recess 16. With the prepared insole as Ithus described it is then vassembled on the last, the shoe lasted, the outsole fitted with the recess 10 and the shoe completed. I may, if desired, also form a portion of the groove 31 in the adjacent part of the sole, if desired, particularly in the form shown in Fi 3.

My invention is further described/an defined in the form of claims as follows:

1. A boot orshoe of the kind described,

having a foot contacting insole portion free for vertical .movement relatively with `the rest of the shoe, a metallic member fitted may apply the member 15 atV during the process of making.

under said freely moving portion, means securing said metallic member adjacent the forepart of the shoe, and means operating from the outside of said shoe to effect the movement of said metallic member and vary the' vertical position of the free insole portion.

of the kind described,

2. A boot or shoe having a foot contacting insole portion free for verticalmovement relatively with the .rest of the shoe, said freely movable portion bein independent of openings, recesses or the like on its foot contacting surface, a metallic member fitted under said freely moving portion, means securing said metallic member adjacent the forepart of the shoe and means operating from the outside o said shoe to effect the movement of said metallic member and vary the vertical position of the free insole portion, said operating means acting to simultaneously adjust and lock the metallic member in adjusted position. Y

3. A boot or shoe of the kind described, having a smooth surfaced insole layer for contact with the foot of the wearer, said layer bein free of attachment to the shoe along the s ank and heel portions, a metallic arch supporting member under said layer, means to permanently attach said arch supporting member adjacent the forepart of the shank, a recess in the outsole, a lug secured to said arch supporting member extending throu h said recess, a rotatable threaded mem er engaging the lug, and means holding said member whereb rotation of the threaded member effects t e lonfgitudinal movement of the said lug and arch support, and meansfrom the outside of thev -shoe permitting access tothe rotatable member to rotate the same.

4. boot or shoe of 'the kind described having an insole split into two separate portions, an upper and a lower, from a point adjacent the rear of the sole to the extreme heel portion, the lower portion, 'together with the sole portion, being secured in the usual manner vto the upper and outsole, a metallic member fitted between said upper and lower portions, means securing said metallic member adjacent the joining part of thel upper and lower portions with the forepart, and means operable from the outl side of said shoe to effect a movement of the metallic member in a vertical direction about its fastening point whereby the unsecured upper portion of the inso e is movable therewith and operating means acting to simultaneously adjust and lock the metallic member in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof,I have signed my name to this s ilication. v

XANDER LINDGREN. 

